英国大使馆文化教育处

On our last holiday,we drank cold beer and ate fish outside a beach bar while watching surfers.Where were we—France? Spain? Portugal?No,we were in St.Ives,a small town in Cornwall in the south of England.

Visitors like St.Ives more than famous places like Brighton and Blackpool.They like its excellent beaches and warm weather.Most people here make money from tourists now,but in the past,fishing was more important.Fishing boats still work here and sell fish to nearby restaurants and pubs.

The beaches are all different.Porthmeor is popular with surfers.Porthminster is warmer and good for families with young children.Porthgwidden is the smallest and quietest,great for people who don’t like crowds.The Harbour Beach is best for people who don’t want to walk too far from the shops,pubs and restaurants.

Most visitors just come here for the beaches,but there are lots of other things to do.You can have surfing lessons,see modern art,or go on a boat trip to Seal Island to see the seals swimming and lying in the sun.

Activity 1 Match the phrase with a definition.

a.take fish from water for sport or to eat them

b.a large sea animal with beautiful eyes

c.a person who practises surfing,a water sport

d.a person who visits a place for fun

e.a lot of people together

Activity 2 True or false?

1.St.Ives is in France. True False

2.Visitors like St.Ives more than Brighton and Blackpool. True False

3.Tourists are important for St.Ives. True False

4.Boats don’t go fishing from St.Ives any more. True False

5.The beaches are very similar to each other. True False

6.St.Ives isn’t only for people who want a beach holiday. True False

Activity 3 Fill in the correct verb forms.

Activity 4 Write it down.

Where can people have holidays or go on trips in your country or area?What can you do there? How many tourists go there?